Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Time to Vote! Uptown vs. Pullman In Curbed Cup's "Neighborhood of the Year" (Updated)

The lobby of the Uptown Theater

The polls are open! It's the semi-final round of Curbed Chicago's competition for "Neighborhood of the Year." Uptown has defeated Lincoln Park and East Village/Noble Square in previous rounds. Should we win this round against the far South Side community of Pullman, we'll be in the final against the Loop, which squeeze by Lakeview by a handful of votes.

But we need to get there first. VOTE HERE. No registration, no identifying information, just literally 15 seconds to choose Uptown or Pullman and click. The polls are open for 24 hours. VOTE HERE. And tell your friends.

UPDATE: Uptown got its butt handed to it by tiny Pullman (population 7300), which defeated us with 61% of the vote. Hats off to the South Side getting the vote out to support its own, and to Pullman, which pulled off an incredible year, with the whole neighborhood being named a National Monument and all. The Curbed Cub final vote is open now, with the North Side being completely shut out. It's the Loop versus Pullman, and frankly, we don't care which wins. Uptown is home!

1 comment:

Back by no demand at all a comment I made about a week ago regarding Uptown V Pullman.

I voted for Pullman. Not because I think it's a better neighborhood, but largely because they need the minor publicity and the first Urban National Park is a YUUUUUGE deal. Sorry for channeling my inner Trump.

Here's the comment:

Now it's Uptown V Pullman. Now since George Pullman is buried in Uptown's own Graceland Cemetery under a veritable poopload of concrete and steel rails I'm torn.

If Uptown wins do we send his carcass back to his namesake hood? I refuse to hyperlink as Pullman was a poo poo head. There I said it. He schlonged his workers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Pullman

"At the cemetery, a large pit had been dug at the family plot. At its base and walls were 18 inches of reinforced concrete. The coffin was lowered, and covered with asphalt and tarpaper. More concrete was poured on top, followed by a layer of steel rails bolted together at right angles, and another layer of concrete. The entire burial process took two days. His monument, featuring a Corinthian column flanked by curved stone benches, was designed by Solon Spencer Bemen, the architect of the company town of Pullman."

There's a good comment at Curbed regarding the voting from someone named "Chicago Guy":

"The contest is for the neighborhood of the year. There is no hard criteria on what this designation means. I don't think it means the most liveable neighborhood, the most gentrifying neighborhood, the most fun neighborhood, etc. I view it as the neighborhood that stood out the most this year. Lakeview, Uptown and the Loop continue to plug along as great neighborhoods but really did nothing monumental to stand out this year. One neighborhood stood out this year - Pullman. It became a national monument. It is one of the few - if not only - urban neighborhoods that are national monuments.

Additionally, Pullman's success is not guaranteed like Uptown, Lakeview and the Loop. It needs additional recognition and support. So I'm voting every chance I get for Pullman."

I tend to agree with him. Let's not be selfish Uptown. We've won this award in the past--I know I nominated Uptown a few times and those include the years we won.

Let's let Pullman have a taste of victory! An urban national park is something special. Sui Generis as the ancient Greeks might have said--wholly unique.

Regardless whether we win this somewhat meaningless online contest or not Uptown is heading in the right direction. Pullman deserves a win. Uptown has already won this contest and will undoubtedly win again.

I'm voting for Pullman not because I think it's better than Uptown, but because I think we're good enough and generous enough to let a truly struggling neighborhood have the spotlight.